Wow, I can't believe that it has been 2 years since I updated this thread. I guess that's what happens when life gets in the way. Sadly, the Jeep hasn't gotten much love in the last 2 years, just some minor changes and routine maintenance. It is still my daily driver though and while it isn't getting off road, my wife and I both still love it. Top and doors off are off for most of the summer and we drive it wherever we can. It isn't going anywhere any time soon.

So I'll start with the little updates and then throw some pictures in.

In June of 2012, I managed to swap in the PSC steering box. Necro helped me with that (read that as he did most of the work) and it definitely helped my steering problems. The swap made me feel safe driving with one hand again and it's still going strong 2 years later.

For Christmas of 2012, I got Nalin's speaker brackets and Polk speakers for the front, a new head unit, and a Rokmen steering box skid. Unfortunately, my experience with Rokmen wasn't the best. My mother in law ordered it and it took until sometime during the summer to finally show up. It is still sitting on a shelf in my garage waiting to get installed. I absolutely love the speakers though. I installed them shortly after Christmas. I still have the stock speakers in the sound bar and the stock sub in the center console, but music sounds better than ever and I have no problem hearing it on the highway with the top down.

Spring of 2013, I also got around to installing the centric rotors and black magic pads. This I was really proud of since it was the biggest maintenance project I had ever attempted by myself. Took about an hour per corner and then the I did the break in. These brakes are amazing, though I think I should probably do the break in again. I guess I don't use them all that hard.

I haven't been wheeling for over 2 years so really the only other Jeep related stuff has been trying to track down a rough idle. Then this spring, while driving to the airport, the Jeep bucked while driving and the engine dropped to about 2000 rpm. It stayed there while the Jeep decelerated, regardless of what I did with the gas pedal. I turned on my flashers and pulled in to a left turn lane. While stopping, I pushed in the clutch and the engine immediately dropped off and smoothly stalled. Check engine light came on and I pulled the codes. It restarted and drove fine all the way to the airport. I was not so fortunate driving home though. Had to pull over four or five times because of the same conditions that I had driving to work. It showed one code, P2074-MANIFOLD PRESSURE/THROTTLE POSITION CORRELATION- HIGH FLOW/VACUUM LEAK, so I picked up a new TPS sensor and installed it. That did the trick and I haven't had any trouble with it since. Though the idle still isn't perfect, it is improved and I'm not too concerned.

On the personal front, my wife and I decided last spring that it was time to move out of my condo so we went looking for a house. We found one that we fell in love with and moved in on July 5. Now I have a garage of my own. It is so nice not having to worry about the weather at night and I can now work on the Jeep without going to my parent's house. My hard top still gets stored over there though since it is up and out of the way.

We got a puppy in October. Wife talked me in to going to the SPCA on her birthday and a few days later we brought home a 14 week old lab mix puppy. He was a handful over the winter, but has been unbelievably good as the year has moved along. I still can't believe how lucky we have been with him.

So what brought me to update this thread? A new job. I had been working a job for the last two and half years that I wasn't really all that happy with. My pay was below average for my position and the schedule was terrible (actually illegal, but the company gets away with it). The schedule was actually the biggest thing keeping me from wheeling. Well, in April I was approached about a new position and decided to take it. I started May 29 and count on it to improve my quality of life immensely. It also came with a pretty significant raise, so the Jeep will finally be getting some love. It is still a few months out, but this thread is going to become a true build thread.

So when do you want to go wheeling? July 17th and 18th at Rausch creek? It's a Thursday and Friday

Those dates aren't going to work for me unfortunately. I have a work trip on the schedule already for July 19. Early morning departure. Honestly, I don't think I'll have a break for wheeling until October or November. I'll be heading out for another week of training in August and Amy's family rented a house in the Outer Banks for a week in September. I am going to do everything in my power to make the Turkey Run this year.

Continuing the updates with our new to us house. My wife and I sold the condo and bought a house last summer and it has definitely kept us busy. We had a couple of large for the area snow storms this winter and then we took advantage of some down time in the spring to build a fire pit.

JeepinHokie came down to visit me. Our dogs had a great time while we drank around the fire pit.

Well since work has basically been the reason I haven't been wheeling, I figure I'd might as well throw up some work pictures. These are with the old job. It's really a shame that the schedule and management company sucked because I loved the plane and the owner was really nice.

This was the end of a long night working. Sunrise over the Eastern Shore of Virginia. A lot of our flying was to go and pick up a team of doctors to take them to a hospital to harvest an organ. We then flew them back to their city so that they could perform a transplant.

I had to work over Valentine's Day this year so the owner of the plane invited my wife on the trip. We got a mostly paid for 3 day trip to West Palm Beach.

Since I didn't need a second pilot to fly with me on that plane, she even got to sit up front with me.

I flew in to a small airport in Northern Virginia one day in September and they had an aerobatics competition going on. My boss went and took care of his business while I sat and watched the flying.

A few more pictures from over the last few years. First three are down on a family friend's property. The owner had just picked her up. It was beautiful so I had to take a few pictures. Unfortunately, I only had the camera phone so the lighting is horrible.

I spent three weeks in Dallas in June training for my new job. This JK was in the parking lot the entire time so I'm assuming it was an employee. Good looking rig.

Now for the ugly. Out to dinner on a work trip one night and walked by this in the parking lot. Still not sure exactly what was going on, but to each their own I suppose.

Jeep Related News: A few weeks ago, I decided to grease everything on the Jeep that required it. I am happy to say that some "groaning" that I had been experiencing going over things like speed bumps has been quieted down dramatically. I really need to get in to the habit of doing this more often.

I gave it a good thorough cleaning. Wash, clay bar, wash, 2 coats of wax, vacuum, interior "armor all'ed", soft top protectant, soft top windows buffed up. The paint still looks great for being mostly 8 years old, but the soft top and carpet are definitely starting to show their age. I have a small tear in the soft top about 2 inches back from the driver's side windshield corner. Luckily it doesn't leak at all, but I'll have to get it patched one of these days.

Inspection was due in July so off to the dealership I went. Free state inspections and oil changes for the life of the vehicle at the dealership where I bought it so I got an oil change and tire rotation/balance while I was there. I have been doing a 5 tire rotation every 3000 miles since I put these tires on and I have them balanced every 6000. The tires have been wearing well and I still have a good amount of tread. I love that I won't end up with a brand new spare and 4 bald tires.

The big news in this post is that I took advantage of a Labor Day sale (don't tell my wife ). I'm going to be collecting parts for the next few months and Metalcloak got the first of my money

Not all that Jeep related: I've been doing my best to enjoy the summer. Been boating, surfing, going to the beach, golfing, and occasionally working. I love my new job and the bump in salary plus some contract work on the side is what is going to allow for the next round of Jeep mods.

I am headed down the Outer Banks on Saturday. My wife's parents rented a house in Duck for the week and her brother and sister-in-law flew in from Alaska. It's going to be a great week and I'm planning on getting the Jeep out on the beach. Pictures will follow to prove that it did in fact make it off the pavement

Picture update for the last few weeks. It's been a busy summer and we've been trying to take advantage of it as much as possible.

Friends invited us out their boat one day back in July. They even invited the puppy since they were bringing their dog as well. The dogs got along great and Tucker enjoyed his first boat trip. I tried really hard to talk Amy in to buying a boat after this, but she won. All good though since it leaves some money available for Jeep mods and hopefully a vacation.

I take Tucker down to the beach at least once a week. We walk for a bit and then I let him off leash and throw the ball with the Chuck It. He loves it.

We had a 3 day work trip to Vegas at the beginning of August. At just under 5 hours to get out there, this was the longest flight I've ever done. I don't know how the long haul guys do it because I get really bored at anything over 2 hours and they can fly for up to 8-10 hours.

Hoover Damn. We stayed pretty busy with golf so I didn't get to visit the damn on this trip. I'm making a point to do it next trip out.

First is of me golfing the first day. Second is the other pilot the second day. It was 103 degrees both days, but I'd take that any day over 85 at home. Humidity sucks. The courses out there were amazing. The second day was in the middle of nowhere, so it was true desert golf with great mountain views.

The "new" plane ready to head home. It was built in 92 and is the oldest jet I've flown to date. Bombardier Challenger 601-3A-ER. I've flown planes built as far back as the 50's and 60's, just not jets. The lack of technology up front actually makes us do pilot things. It's nice to be challenged again.